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Date: Tue, 24 Oct 1995 09:08:17 +-100
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: The Scriptures opened, 54
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP
Contents
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1. Genesis 11:1-8 - Confusion of the language
2. Habakkuk 3 - The Prayer of Habakkuk, part 2/2
1. Genesis 11:1-8 - Confusion of the language
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Reading: Genesis 6:9-11:32
Text: Genesis 11:1-8
In our text we find that there was but one language over the whole
earth. The people journeyed, and when they found a good place, they
began to erect a tower and a city, lest they would be scattered abroad
over the whole earth. But God prevented that idea by confusion their
language.
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
All the inhabitants of the earth descended from Adam, and after the
flood from Noah. No wonder then that everybody spoke the same
language. Everybody could understand everybody. The thousands and
thousands of languages we have now weren't there. But one language,
which was spoken by everybody. Which language that have been is not
expressed, but there are grounds to think that is has been the Hebrew
one. The most important reason for this is, that the names of the
first people are Hebrew names. Adam, for example, means "man", and is
connected with "red earth". And Eve, that means "life". Also Cain and
Abel, and many other names are Hebrew.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they
found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
There is said that "they" journeyed from the east, and that they found
land in Shinar. It is not expressed who that "they" were, but it can
be that they were the descendants of Ham, of whom Nimrod was the head.
For, in Genesis 10:9,10, we read that they dwelt in Shinar. "He was a
mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod
the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom
was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar."
3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn
them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for
morter.
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top
[may reach] unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be
scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
They wish to build a city to dwell in, and also a tower, whose top
will be unto heaven. And why do they wish to build such a city and
tower? Because they fear that they will be scattered abroad upon the
face of the whole earth. It was God's command to the people, after He
had created them, that they should multiply and replenish the whole
earth. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every
living thing that moveth upon the earth". (Genesis 1:28) This was the
commandment, that they should replenish the earth, but the people
refused to do so. They rather choose to dwell together. Instead of
obeying God, they do their own will. Not only that they are
disobedient, but they also are proud. The top of their tower must be
so high, that is reaches unto heaven. It was not enough that Adam
wished to be like God, knowing good and evil. They also add thereunto,
that they wish to dwell in heaven. We see then in the sons of Ham, the
people of Nimrod, disobedience and pride. "Come on", they say, "let us
build a tower, a city, and make us a name". Come on, let us not obey
God's voice, and provoke Him. Come on, let us do our own will,
neglecting God's.
5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the
children of men builded.
In the previous verse, we read that their tower should reach unto
heaven. But in this verse, it appears that the tower was so much lower
then heaven, that the LORD had to come down. Let then no man ever
think to be able to approach God. The LORD came down, to see the low
work of the people.
6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one
language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be
restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
God came down to have a look at their work. They had begun to build
the city and the tower. And God also knew that they would not be
docile, so as to obey God's voice. They had imagined to build the
city, and they wanted to finish it at all costs.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they
may not understand one another's speech.
They had said: "Come on, let us build". But God's answer was: "Come
on, let us go down". The people may design what they will, but without
God's approval, all their plans will end up in nothing. Come on, let
us build, they said. No, says God, let us confound their language.
When they no longer could understand one another, they were unable to
build. Here you have the confusion of the language, as a result of
man's sin. The disobedience of the people was the cause of the many
languages we now have. All confusion which is on the world now, is the
result of this. All study of language, and all difficulties the
different languages give us, are the result of the disobedience of the
people. But on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2, God gave the people
the gift of the Spirit, which includes the gift of speaking many
languages. What was perverted by man in the beginning, is in some
measure repaired by the Spirit. For, only through the gift of the
languages, one is able to bring the Word of God to the nations.
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all
the earth: and they left off to build the city.
In the beginning the LORD had commanded the people that they should
replenish the earth. They refused. But now, God uses acts of power to
make the people obey His voice, namely to replenish the earth. They
were scattered abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth. If
they not willingly obey God's will, then they shall do it unwillingly.
But one thing is sure, and that is, that God's word will be
accomplished.
The King of the earth showed again His power. The LORD is the Ruler of
this world, and we do best to subject ourselves to Him. Let we, with
the Psalmist "say unto God, How terrible [art thou in] thy works!
through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit
themselves unto thee." (Psalms 66:3) Through the greatness of God's
power, the people who built the city, submitted themselves unto God.
They were His enemies, for they refused obedience. But nevertheless,
they had to submit themselves unto God, through the greatness of His
power. And so it will be unto this day. It may be that the people for
a time, shorter or longer, refuse to obey. But the time will come,
that they will experience God's power. Nothing but submission is then
left to them. The enemies will submit themselves unwillingly, but the
children of God will do so willingly and with joy. Their King, the
LORD, the Creator of heaven and earth; their LORD is King forever.
2. Habakkuk 3 - The Prayer of Habakkuk, part 2/2
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In part one we read the beginning of Habakkuk's prayer. After he had
heard the word of God, of destruction and coming calamity, he feared.
Then he asks that God might keep alive His own work, instead of wholly
to destroy it because of their sins. He begins to remember the great
works of God of old, beginning from Egypt.
8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? [was] thine anger
against the rivers? [was] thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst
ride upon thine horses [and] thy chariots of salvation?
It is said that the LORD was displeased against rivers and the sea,
and that His anger and wrath was against them. Why? Because the Red
Sea was split when Israel went through it. Also Jordan, that river,
gave a free access by opening its waters. Was the LORD displeased
against the waters, that they dared not to stream on? They gave free
way. God's strong wind caused the Red Sea to heap up its waters. Was
that strong wind a sign of God's strong and heavy wrath against the
waters? Using these words the prophet describes God's miraculous
works. He also says that God "didst ride upon Thine horses". A rider
steers his horse to direct it where he wills. So God, like a rider,
governs all elements to have them do His will. Waters, wind, sun,
fire, light, clouds, darkness, they all obey His voice. These are His
horses, whereon He rides, and which He steers in such a way, that they
do His will. "Thy chariots were salvation". Chariots are used in wars.
God's chariots were salvation. That means, that God fought before
them, giving them salvation. In the case of their passage through the
Red Sea, God's chariots were the strong wind, the pillar of a cloud,
the pillar of fire, and the waters. These chariots brought salvation
to Israel, and destruction to the Egyptians.
9 Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the
tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with
rivers.
The bow means God's power. "Thy bow was made quite naked", which can
mean that God's power was visible everywhere. God did all these great
things, according "to the oaths of the tribes", through His "word".
God had sworn in former times, that He would bring the people out of
Egypt into Canaan. He did all these things to keep His oath to the
tribes. God also "did cleave the earth with rivers". This can best be
explained with the words of Numbers. "And Moses lifted up his hand,
and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out
abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts [also]."
(Numbers 20:11)
10 The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the overflowing of the
water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, [and] lifted up his hands
on high.
The mountains saw Thee, and they trembled. These are the mounts of
Sinai. When God came down on its top, the whole mountain trembled
much, and smoked. "The waters passed by", namely Jordan, or the river
which followed them in the desert, which sprang from the rock. "All
did drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (1 Corinthians
10:4) The deep uttered his voice, says the prophet. This can be the
Red Sea, which separated itself in two parts, which much noise of
waters. The deep lifted up his hands on high, or, it lifted up its
sides on high. And we know that the path through the Red Sea had two
sides of waters. The sea lifted up its sides on high, to make a way
through for the people.
11 The sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of
thine arrows they went, [and] at the shining of thy glittering spear.
The sun and moon stood still in their habitation, namely when Joshua
commanded it. "Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD
delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said
in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou,
Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon
stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is
not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the
midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day." (Joshua
10:12,13)
12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh
the heathen in anger.
He marched through the land, driving out the former inhabitants of
Canaan, to make place for the children of Israel. He did so with
indignation, for the sins of the former people had reached their top.
He threshed the heathen in anger, to drive them away as chaff from the
threshing-floor. All who remain heathen, and not join the people of
God through faith and obedience, will be driven away like chaff before
the wind.
13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people,
namely for the salvation of Israel, when God delivered them out
of the slavery of Egypt.
[Even] for salvation with thine anointed;
With Joshua, God's anointed; God went forth for the salvation,
together with Joshua, who was a type of Christ, the real Anointed
of God. Both went forth for the salvation of their people.
Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked,
God wounded the heads of the kings of Canaan; the most important
people of the land, who came with their armies against Israel.
But God wounded their heads; the princes of the house of the
wicked. These wicked people were the former inhabitants of the
land.
By discovering the foundation unto the neck.
The land was discovered from the foundation unto the neck. This
may indicate that the land was well purified of the enemies; at
least they lost their power.
Selah.
14 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages:
they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing [was] as
to devour the poor secretly.
First it is said that God struck with his (the anointed's) staves the
head of his villages, indicating God's victory over the enemies. Then
we read that Habakkuk says, that "they came out to scatter me". Note
that he says, that they came to scatter "me". We see that he
identifies himself with his forefathers. What they did against the
forefather, was also done against the prophet. "Their rejoicing was as
to devour the poor secretly". In the times of the judges, the people
often had to hide themselves before the enemies, who came to destroy
the land. They delighted in devouring the poor in the secret.
15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, [through] the
heap of great waters.
Yes, God walked through the sea, through the Red Sea, when He went
before the people, and made a path for them. The heap of great waters
did not flow over them, because their path was kept dry. The waters,
and all other elements, they obey the will of God. Sun and moon, water
and drought, ground and air, light and darkness, fertility and
barrenness, clouds and rain, hail and storm, spring and autumn; the
whole nature obeys God's voice. He uses all elements for the benefit
of His people.
16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice:
rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I
might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people,
he will invade them with his troops.
Here, the prophet returns to the beginning of his prayer. In the
second verse, he had already spoken of the approaching destruction
through the Chaldees; and now he again speaks of that. From the second
verse until this one, he has interrupted his fear of the Chaldees, to
recount the mighty works of God in the past. He said, "O LORD, revive
thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make
known; in wrath remember mercy." (Habakkuk 3:2) He prayed this, asking
for grace and mercy for his people. "Revive Thy work, O LORD", he
said. He called it God's own work. Revive that, O LORD; it is Thine
own work. After that, the prophet had recounted God's own work. And
now the prophet returns to the beginning: his prayer for mercy.
But in this verse, we see a remarkable change in the attitude of
the prophet. In the beginning, he trembled when he thought about the
coming destruction. But now, his fear is away. He now says, that He
may "rest in the day of trouble". How can one rest in the day of
trouble? Should we not be restless, when troubles come nigh? Should we
not cry, when we see all being destroyed round about? When the whole
earth is turned upside down, will we then rest? "When he cometh up
unto the people", the prophet continues, "he will invade them with his
troops". Yes, the enemy will come up unto the people, and will invade
the lands with his invincible troops. And the prophet will rest in
that day, the day of trouble? Yes, the prophet will rest then. For, he
has fallen down before God. He accepts His judgement, for he knows
that God is true and righteous. He has accepted the coming judgement,
because he and his people have deserved that by their sins. The
prophet will rest in the day of trouble. How? Because he rests in God.
And when one rests in God, then, no matter how great the trouble will
be, he will have rest. When one has God as his Protector, it matters
no longer how much enemies there will be, and how great the
destruction will be. For, when we have the LORD as our God, why should
we fear any longer? "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can
man do unto me?" (Psalms 118:6) Habakkuk may, through faith, know that
the LORD is on his side. Why should he fear then? "Behold, God is my
salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my
strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)
Poor people then, who, being without any protection of God, fear the
coming destruction. They have nothing before their eyes but death. How
happy are those, whose God is our LORD! Enemies? "I will not fear".
Destruction? "God is my LORD, what shall men do to me?" Wars? "God is
my Protector, why should I fear?"
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be]
in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall
yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and [there
shall be] no herd in the stalls:
Habakkuk had heard God's words, regarding the coming Chaldees, and he
had believed them, and had feared. In this verse, he is giving a list
of the future destructions. Not a complete list, of course, but he
mentions some important things. All the fields, and all the beasts
will be destroyed. The figtree shall not blossom, and there will be no
fruit in the vines. Also, the labour expended on the olive will be in
vain, for it will not give its product. Further, the fields will lay
desolate, and no meat will be yielded. The flock will be cut off from
the fold, and no herd will be found in the stalls.
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my
salvation.
Though all these evil will come over us, says the prophet, yet I will
rejoice in the LORD. See, that is the fruit of faith. He knows that
God is his God, Who will protect him. How great then the destruction
may be, yet he knows himself safe in the LORD; in the God of his
salvation. Even when the whole world will be burned down, "I will joy
in the God of my salvation". He has no joy in the devastation, but he
rejoiced in the LORD. He does not as the servants of the world do, who
rely on their prosperity. But as soon as their aids fail them, they
begin to become desperate. With Habakkuk, and with all faithful, it is
otherwise. Maybe that all aids will fail them, yet they rejoice in
their God; in the God of their salvation.
When there is prosperity, the difference between the believers
and unbelievers is not so well visible. But when circumstances become
difficult and hard, then one's faith will become visible. While all
the rest will lay struck down by the evils, then the faith of the
believers shines forth, and can be seen at a distance. While everybody
is black of fear, the faithful delight in God. Their hope is not fixed
on this lower part under the moon, which will soon vanish, but on the
high God, Who will sit on His throne for always and ever.
19 The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds'
[feet], and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the
chief singer on my stringed instruments.
The LORD God is my strength, says Habakkuk; not the fig trees, vines,
olives and flocks are my strengh. The LORD God is my strength, so what
matters it when all other things vanish? God is my strength, and he
will make my feed like a hinds' feet. I will, when evils are
everywhere, not sit desperately in a corner, but my feet will walk
swiftly like the hinds'. When the Chaldees come, God will save me from
them, so that I may escape in freedom. God will make me to walk upon
mine high places. Perhaps he means with these high places, some strong
places. Or, that he, after the Chaldees have been on the rampage in
the land, may return on his high places, the mounts of Judah.
At the end, he hands his prayer over to the chief singer, to be
sung and to be played on his stringed instruments. Maybe, when this
prayer will be repeated always in the public services, God may use it
to give hope and strength to the other, weaker believers. It can be
that their faith is not so strong as Habakkuk's. When they then see an
example of strong faith, through God's grace, they can get thence some
more hope on God.
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chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl
"A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"
Institute Practical Bible-education
Web: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html
This issue written by Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
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file:/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/so: s-open-054.txt
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